How are windows made? Actually seeing a home improvement product being made — window, door, shingle, or sunroom — can give reps the knowledge and enthusiasm to sell more effectively.

“When you talk with homeowners and can say you've been to the factory, it's a great selling tool,” says Troy Marshall, president of Marshall Roofing, in Lorton, Va.

Ever since Marshall visited CertainTeed's window factory in Valley Forge, Pa., several years ago, he better understands how windows are put together, and, in turn, he can share that confidence with customers. Salespeople who visit a manufacturer's factory “are inclined to push the product a bit more. It gets them to buy in,” he says.

BEEN THERE

Every rep at American Vision Windows, in Simi Valley, Calif., has been on a factory tour, says marketing director Matt Herren. “It's invaluable when they're in the home and can tell the customer, ‘I've been to that factory, and they're expert craftsmen. I saw the quality-control.'” Seeing the vinyl extruded is an “amazing” sight, and while they're visiting, the reps also learn how to correctly fill out an order form, he adds.

Factory tours allow installers and reps to learn about and better understand the product.

We've all seen the images of mold-infested homes that headlined media and courtrooms a few years ago–or experienced it firsthand–with faulty window installation often front and center as a main point of failure.